Lab Project #2: Exercise Physiology

The circulatory system is a vast environment containing several components. It contains arteries, capillaries, and veins, which all assist in the process of transporting blood to and from the heart and lungs. But, the capillaries is the main site where red blood cells exchange oxygen-rich blood with the oxygen-poor blood from the cells. This process is vey vital to the survival of every cell within the body, because the use of oxygen is needed in the processes of cell metabolism and cellular respiration. Cell metabolism occurs within the mitochondria of the cell, where nutrients that are digested from the body are used to make quick energy, glucose, for the cells. This is also a part of cellular respiration. Cellular respiration consists of the cycles of glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain. It is within each of these cycles that oxygen is used to breakdown glucose and convert it into ATP. In accordance with the complexity and processes of the circulatory system and the cells, this lab project, called Exercise Physiology, was performed by myself in order to measure different body metabolic factors such as pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

In the lab, Exercise Physiology, I measured the metabolic rates of pulse, respiration rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure four different ways. First, I measured a baseline reading for each metabolic rate by staying at rest for ten minutes. I was able to use this baseline as a comparison of my normal blood pressure to that of the three activities I performed. Then, I performed my first activity of Tae Bo for five minutes and measured each metabolic rate after that performance. Third, I executed the activity of twenty push-ups, then measuring the different rates for that action. Lastly, I performed the activity of jogging in place for two minutes and calculated the rates for that occurrence.

Before I performed this lab, I decided upon a hypothesis. I hypothesized that after I performed each activity, the pulse, respiration rate, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure would all increase in comparison to my baseline rates.

The procedure I followed for the Exercise Physiology Lab is:

1. Sat and rested for ten minutes

2. Baseline blood pressure was measured by my husband with a bloodpressure cuff and stethiscope.

3. Then, measured my baseline pulse by placing my fingers on my cartoid artery and counting each beat for 30 seconds. I multiplied the number I recieved by two to find the result for one minute.

4. And, measured my baseline respiration rate by counting each breath for fifteen seconds and multiplying the result I received by four to equal one minute.

5. I repeated steps one through four, five other times.
6. Then, I performed my first activity of Tae Bo, which I did for five minutes.
7. My husband measured by blood pressure again.

8. Then, I measured my pulse rate and respiration rate.

9. I performed Tae Bo two other times and measured each rate afterwards.

10. Then, I performed my second activity, twenty pushups.

11. Measured my blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration rate.

12. I peformed twenty pushups two other times and measured each rate afterwards.

13. Then, I performed my third activity of running in place for two minutes.

14. Measured my blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration rate.

15. I performed running in place two other times and measured each afterwards.

16. Then, I found the average for my baseline rate, activity one, two, and three of each metabolic rate.

This is my metabolic data table where I recored my results for each metabolic rate and found the averages for each.

Figure 1: This is the activity of resting for ten minutes. I did this to find out what my baseline pulse rate, respiration rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure would be. This was performed four other times.


Figure 2: This is where my husband measured my systolic and diastolic blood pressure by using the blood pressure cuff and stethiscope. I had this done for baseline rate and activities one, two, and three.

Figure 3: This is the first activity of Tae Bo. I performed this for five minutes. Then, I continued with measuring my pulse rate, respiration rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. I performed this activity two other times.

Figure 4: This is the second activity of twenty push-ups. Then, I continued with the measurements of each metabolic rate. I performed this activity two other times.

Figure 5: This is the third activity of running in place for two minutes. Then, I continued with the measurementsof each metabolic rate. I performed this activity two other times.

After I finished the main procedure of the Exercise Physiology Lab, I gathered my data and placed it into four bar graphs. I was able to compare the results I had received. The first graph consists of the comparison of my average baseline systolic rate with my average systolic rates for activities one, two, and three. I had originally hypothesized that my average systolic rate would increase in relation to my baseline systolic. As it turns out, all three activities did raise my average systolic rate, especially when I performed activity #2 of twenty push-ups. The second graph consists of the comparison of my average diastolic rate with my average diastolic rates for activities one, two, and three. I had hypothesized that my average diastolic rate would increase

in relevance to my baseline diastolic. As it turns out, it did increase when I performed activities two and three, but when I performed activity #1 of Tae Bo, it stayed the same. The third graph consists of the comparison of my average baseline pulse rate with my average pulse rate for activities one, two, and three. I hypothesized that my average pulse rate would increase in relation to my average baseline pulse rate. As it turns out, my average pulse rate did increase for activities two and three, but it decreased when I performed activity #1 of Tae Bo. The fourth graph consists of the comparison of my average baseline respiration rate with my average respiration rate for activities one, two, and Figure 6: Bar graph of average baseline systolic vs. average systolic from activities one, two, and three. three. I originally hypothesized that my average respiration rate would increase in relation to my average baseline respiration. As it turns out, my average respiration rate did increase, especially when I jogged in place for two minutes.

Figure 7: Bar graph of average baseline diastolic vs. average diastolic for activities one, two, and three.

Figure 8: Bar graph of average baseline pulse rate vs. average pulse rate for activities one, two, and three.

Figure 9: Bar graph of average baseline respiration rate vs. average respiration rate for activities one, two, and three.

After I compared the results of my Exercise Physiology Lab, I was concerned as to whether or not there were any problems with my techniques that I performed or if there were any other factors affecting the outcome of the reuslts.

Beginning with the comparison with my average baseline diastolic with my average diastolic after performing the activities. I was surprised to find how close the averages were to my baseline after performing such rigorous activities. But, maybe they would of been higher if I performed the activites for a longer amount of time. Next, I was really surprised to see that my average pulse rate for activity #1, Tae Bo, was lower than my average baseline pulse rate, considering that I was being much more active than resting. Overall, I felt like my experiment results were not that accurate, because my blood pressure seemed really low to what it normally is when it is measured by my primary care physcian. I think the blood pressure cuff that I had used need to be re-callibrated. Also, the times that I had performed each resting activity and exercise activity, I was really tired.

The circulatory system contains arteries, capillaries, and veins that assist in the transport of blood to and from the heart and lungs. The capillaries house most of the exchange of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood with the cells, in order to carrry out cellular metabolism and respiration properly. The Exercise Physiology Lab that I performed by finding my average baseline pulse rate, respiration rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and comparing that to different metabolic rates results after performing activities like, Tae Bo, pushups, and jogging, provided some interesting results. Mostly all of the activities I performed had shown that my metabolic rates had increased compared to my average resting rates. But, there were some surprises, for example, my average pulse rate during Tae Bo had decreased and average diastolic rate during the same activity stayed the same. In general, most exercise activities will increase metabollic rates, which in turn will speed up the processes within the circulatory system.

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Graphs: nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx